The Crown

Now stands derelict

By Carol Smiles

It was not until 1926 that Morden Unsderground Station opened as the terminus of a new extension of the City & South London Railway creating the final destination on the notorious Northern line and a direct route to central London which saw the beginning of a massive rise in residential development in the area. Adjacent to the railway , a garage was constructed on the other side of London Road, cutting and, in 1932, Morden Cinema was built next to it on the corner of Aberconway Road. Around the station a new commercial centre grew quickly as shops sprang up along London Road and Crown Lane, including a rebuilt and enlarged Crown public house opened in 1932 and a large Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society (RACS) department store shortly afterwards.

Morden town centre

Charlotte Gilhooly

Little of the earlier rural character of Morden survived this mass suburban expansion, although the area has retained much of its parkland and playing fields, many of them created from remnants of the former country estates and farmland. It is, for the most part, a suburb now and usually teaming with commuters and tourists going to and from central London.

In its day the Crown held 'Blues Nights', a 'Rock Club' and a singles club for over thirties 'Mingles' every Saturday.

An anonymous contributor to the website “www.beering theevening.com” wrote:-

"I have known this pub to be one of the friendliest and social places that I have ever been to. The staff are always very helpful and polite, the regular customers are friendly and, like all pubs, there is a great variety of beverages. If this is not your opinion maybe in this case you are just too stuck up to be welcomed.

I take my kids to the Crown for a Sunday lunch. We don't go there a lot but it is OK and makes a nice change from cooking the roast myself. The Crown is good for kids there is enough room for them to roam around without annoying anyone."

So no standing on the fence then?

The Crown

Surrey pub guide

The original Crown public house was demolished in the early 1960s to make way for the fourteen-storey office block, Crown House, and a large supermarket. The supermarket was in turn demolished in the 1980s and replaced by the Civic Offices and library.

No admittance

Southern Driver's photostream

It is unclear when the Crown public house finally shut its doors, but it is believed to have been August 2007.

I remember the supermarket was called Caters, my mum and dad shopped there every Thursday after work.

By Ann Barnes nee MaxwellOn 28/09/2011

I remember the Crown, used to drink there when ending a shift on the underground in the early 70s, all these memories and so sad to see places close down.

By Davidb BOn 20/11/2011

I was brought up in Morden and "The Crown" an historic coaching Inn took pride of place. It had the most beautiful gardens, the jazz club in the early 60's was something to behold. It was packed to the rafters, hardly room to jive, but we did. It was a disaster when it was pulled down (should never been allowed) and that monstrosity of a 'Caters' supermarket built in its place, along with a plastic pub of absolutely no character. It was the beginning of the end for Morden.

By Gill BrownOn 10/01/2012

Regards the old Crown Public House, when I was little, my Mum would take us for lunch. Being about 6yrs old, we would have to slip pass the bar and straight upstairs to the dining room, a three course lunch was about 5s in the 50's then increased to 7s 6d a meal I think towards the 60's as general charge in restaurants. Just outside was this roundhouse, always smelling of drink and stale tobacco we'd pass men sitting around inside. There was a police box on the corner at the edge of the pub car park I think, fenced by posts and hanging between chains. To the right facing the pub, around the corner was an off-Licence. We would go there to buy a large bottle of orange or lime squash with a brightly coloured crinkly rap over cap to take home.